DOS batch file used to execute commands with the Windows Command Prompt (cmd.exe); contains a series of line commands that typically might be entered at the DOS command prompt; most commonly used to start programs and run maintenance utilities within Windows.

BAT files can be manually created and edited to automate tasks and perform repetitive operations. They can written with a basic text editor, such as Notepad, and saved with a ".bat" extension.

Older Windows operating systems such as Windows 95 and 98 run BAT files as well.

NOTE: Avoid opening unknown BAT files since they may contain viruses or other malicious code.

Common BAT Filenames:

AUTOEXEC.BAT - The batch file run by DOS and older versions of Windows (95, 98, and Me) upon startup. It is located in the root directory of the boot drive.